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I started a new thread on this because there were so many posts with both good information and some common misconceptions.
I tried to answer any emails I received personally but please forgive me if I missed someone as I have been fighting with this vertiigo for a month.
When people speak of DISABILITY most people refer to SOCIAL SECURITY, but there are other types. You may have private disability from your employer, and there can be WORKMANS COMP for an on the job injury but that doesn't usually involve us.
Social Security Disability is a federal program. It does not vary by state.
If you have worked ( on the books as they say) and paid into social security, if you have become too sick to work and you have enough "work quarters" you can apply for this program. It is insurance you have PAID into when you were working so do NOT feel badly about trying to get it..it is your insurance!
I wont repost my entire website here but briefly, the younger you are, the less quarters you need. Generally,you must have 5 years of work (20 calendar quarters) in the 10-year period (40 calendar quarters) ending with the quarter prior to the onset of disability (if an applicant became disabled in the first quarter of 2007, the 10-year period ends with the 4th. quarter of 2006).
For applicants who become disabled prior to the age of 31, the requirement is 6 quarters of work in the applicable 12-quarter period.
The date of your disability is usually set as the date of your application so it is important that you are not staying at home sick gathering up quarters with NO WORK in them and letting the work quarters drop off..they will only go back ten years.
Your family income is not a factor. Your may have a working spouse, own property etc.If you have children under 18 you are also entitled to benefits for them.After 24 months of entitlement to social security you are eligible for medicare.
Also there is no point in waiting as the process is often long and if by some miracle you are cured and and can go back to work, there is no penalty for applying.
There is another form of disability provided by the federal government called SSI. This is a totally different thing.The money does NOT come out of the social security fund and the requirements for it basically are that you be disabled with virtually NO resources or property and a very low family income.
If you are eligible for SSI you are eligible for Medicaid.
I hope this helps with some of your questions.
I will be glad to answer any others by email, or on this thread if I see it..
Two sites that may help are:
http://fibrowelcomepackage.com
and
http://tinyurl.com/3kcfv
Hugs Micki
I tried to answer any emails I received personally but please forgive me if I missed someone as I have been fighting with this vertiigo for a month.
When people speak of DISABILITY most people refer to SOCIAL SECURITY, but there are other types. You may have private disability from your employer, and there can be WORKMANS COMP for an on the job injury but that doesn't usually involve us.
Social Security Disability is a federal program. It does not vary by state.
If you have worked ( on the books as they say) and paid into social security, if you have become too sick to work and you have enough "work quarters" you can apply for this program. It is insurance you have PAID into when you were working so do NOT feel badly about trying to get it..it is your insurance!
I wont repost my entire website here but briefly, the younger you are, the less quarters you need. Generally,you must have 5 years of work (20 calendar quarters) in the 10-year period (40 calendar quarters) ending with the quarter prior to the onset of disability (if an applicant became disabled in the first quarter of 2007, the 10-year period ends with the 4th. quarter of 2006).
For applicants who become disabled prior to the age of 31, the requirement is 6 quarters of work in the applicable 12-quarter period.
The date of your disability is usually set as the date of your application so it is important that you are not staying at home sick gathering up quarters with NO WORK in them and letting the work quarters drop off..they will only go back ten years.
Your family income is not a factor. Your may have a working spouse, own property etc.If you have children under 18 you are also entitled to benefits for them.After 24 months of entitlement to social security you are eligible for medicare.
Also there is no point in waiting as the process is often long and if by some miracle you are cured and and can go back to work, there is no penalty for applying.
There is another form of disability provided by the federal government called SSI. This is a totally different thing.The money does NOT come out of the social security fund and the requirements for it basically are that you be disabled with virtually NO resources or property and a very low family income.
If you are eligible for SSI you are eligible for Medicaid.
I hope this helps with some of your questions.
I will be glad to answer any others by email, or on this thread if I see it..
Two sites that may help are:
http://fibrowelcomepackage.com
and
http://tinyurl.com/3kcfv
Hugs Micki
For younger people (under about 31 if I remember correctly) there is a
little bit of wiggle room on the credits you need to get SSDI and you can qualify for SSI if you have very little income or savings (they don't count certain kinds of property)
Even if you are disabled or can only work part-time, you can still build up credits. Generally you need credits for 5 of past 10 years for SSDI. It doesn't take much income to score a credit (or quarter of coverage as they call it.)
In 2008 the amount is $1050 earned over three months. If you are on disability and work a bit, those new credits can give you a raise in your benefit check.
You don't want to go over the limit though, or they can take your benefits away.
Under the 2008 rules you can make $940 a month (more if you are blind) without any worries from Social Security They don't count that as work.
I am in Round Two of my fight for SSDI (see avatar!!). Your website has helped me INCREDIBLY!!
Thanks for taking the time to clarify this issue with everyone and go above and beyond with your helpful explanations.
You, my dear, rock. (As does your website)